It's October now, or as I like to call it Halloween. As far as I am concerned I am writing this on the 6th of Halloween, the whole month is Halloween, the whole month I can shamelessly eat my body weight in candy and nobody can judge me because it is a holiday. This year as we begin to pick out our costumes (unless you are doing a couples costume in which case you are legally required to be Harley Quinn and the Joker) I want to go ahead and remind everyone that the stereotype of one culture is not an appropriate costume for another, and that national or global tragedies are not up for grabs as a costume. Here are a few costumes to just avoid altogether this year (and probably forever).
1. Black Face
foxnews.com
This one should go without saying. Unfortunately it doesn't, so here are some simple rules for when it is acceptable to use blackface: 1) Never 2) See #1. "Okay, but what if--?" No. "Not even if-" Nope. If your Halloween costume involves blackface (or painting your face ANY race other than your own) then your Halloween costume is racist.
2. Native American Headdress
polyvore.com
Alright friends, the Native American headdress is an honor in their culture. Not just anyone can wear one, you have to earn a high ranking place in a tribe and be respected by the entire tribe in order to wear the headdress. Putting it on as a costume removes the accomplishment and lessens the honor of being able to wear one.
3. Arabina /Muslim Person
gurl.com
If it is not in your everyday routine to wear a hijab, khimar, burka, or any other head scarf then on October 31st (or any other day you are celebrating Halloween) you may not change that routine and wear one.
4. Day Of The Dead
eBay.co.uk
Dia de Los Muertos is an incredibly important day in Mexican culture. It is a day to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have been lost and to offer up gifts to those loved ones. Making it your Halloween costume takes an incredibly sacred day and makes it "sexy" or "a joke" or whatever else people decide to make it and that is just not okay.
5. Isis
dailymail.com
This really should need no explanation. First of all please revert back to #3 for just a part of why this is wrong. But then also realize that this is a group that has killed and caused the death of countless amounts of people, that means they are a national security threat, not a Halloween costume.
6. Terrorist
siesta.pk
Part of why this is wrong is because when deciding to portray a terrorist, this man decided he should dress up as a middle eastern man. But, also, I assume we have all heard of the countries "war on terror", so, as a general rule for Halloween costumes: if there is a war declared on what you dressed up as, do not dress up as that.
7. Mental Patient
pinterest.com
Now, yes it is wrong to dress up as a person with any disability. Mental, physical, or emotional. Don't do it. But, if you are going to do it, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES draw marks on your arms to appear that you have been cutting yourself. It is not funny and it can be extremely triggering to people who struggle with or are recovering from self harm.
8. KKK
ign.com
Same rule as with the Isis costume. If the person or group that you are portraying has terrorized and killed countless people, don't portray that person or group. That feels like a rule that should go without saying, but here we are.
9. Refugees
dailymail.co.uk
No. Just no. If you wake up and think "what if I dressed up as a person fleeing a country where I will be murdered just to find that no one will allow me to go anywhere else," then you are not allowed to participate in Halloween this year.
10. Slave
atlantablackstar.com
Honestly, finding the photos for this article has made me want to cancel Halloween. But, please don't dress up as a slave or a slave owner. This is not being unable to take a joke, this is insensitive people being unable to understand the concept of too far.
11. Caitlyn Jenner
today.com
While Caitlyn Jenner is not the spokesperson anyone in the trans community wanted, it's who they got and for the first time people felt safe to come out as themselves and using the bravery that Caitlyn Jenner displayed (whether you agree with her decisions or not, it was still brave) to make a joke, makes all transgender people look like someone to be made fun of.
12. Other Cultures / Nationalities
rebloggy.com
If you are not Mexican, Asian, Indian, etc., do not dress up as if you are and especially do not dress up as some offensive stereotype of that culture.
13. Sexy Nun
halloweencostume.com
Some things were never meant to be turned "sexy". The job and lifestyle of a nun is definitely one of those things. Religious or not, do not use Halloween to mock the religious beliefs of others.
14. Trayvon Martin
huffingtonpost.com
Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. Is the person you're dressing up as dead? Did their death cause a national outcry? Are you dressing up as them as they are dying? Did you even go above and beyond and bring someone dressed as the person who killed them? Yes? Cool, you can't wear that. That was easy!
15. a clown
jezebel.com
This is just good advice. We have some real knife-weilding clowns running around out there. For your own safety don't dress up as one because you might get confused with a real knife-weilding clown.
